Netanyahu says Hamas has violated the ceasefire

Israel said one of the bodies handed over was an unidentified woman.

Get full access to Reuters.com for just $1/week. Subscribe now. Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Linda Noakes Netanyahu says Hamas will pay for not returning the body of Shiri Bibas, China backs Trump's Ukraine peace bid, and AI optimism boosts Asian shares. Plus, fired and rehired - the dizzying confusion of Trump's government overhaul. Today's Top News   Israelis hold posters with the images of Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas. REUTERS/Itay Cohen Israel and Gaza Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would make Hamas pay for failing to release the body of hostage Shiri Bibas as agreed, in the latest potential threat to the month-old Gaza ceasefire. Listen to today's Reuters World News podcast for more on the latest developments. Arab states who were swift to reject President Donald Trump's plan for the US to take control of Gaza and resettle its Palestinians are scrambling to agree on a diplomatic offensive to counter the idea. Russia and Ukraine  US and Russian participants have quietly met in Switzerland for unofficial discussions about the Ukraine war in recent months, including as recently as last week, sources told Reuters. China came out in support of Trump's bid to strike a deal with Russia to end the war, at a G20 meeting in South Africa, while US allies rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. We look at how China's hopes to be a Ukraine peacemaker are colliding with its goals on Trump and trade. Trump's White House The Trump administration can continue its mass firings of federal employees for now, a federal judge ruled, rejecting a bid by a group of labor unions to halt the dramatic downsizing of the roughly 2.3 million-strong federal workforce. Workers responsible for nuclear weapons, scientists trying to fight a worsening outbreak of bird flu, and officials responsible for supplying electricity are among those who have been accidentally fired. The Trump administration is now rushing to rehire hundreds of them. Elon Musk's DOGE team has slashed hundreds of jobs paid for by fees from banks, medical device companies and other forms of funding rather than taxpayer dollars, raising the question of whether the cuts will render hoped for savings. Business & Markets   European shares rose, following peers in Asia - which hit a three-month high on AI optimism. Alibaba's shares opened 10% higher in Hong Kong to reach their highest level in more than three years, after it reported third-quarter revenues just above analysts' estimates and said it plans to invest more in e-commerce and AI. Walmart forecast sales and profit for the current year below Wall Street estimates, citing the need for caution in navigating an uncertain geopolitical landscape. Euro zone business activity saw very tepid growth in February as demand fell at a faster pace and an expansion in services barely offset a long-running decline in manufacturing. British retail sales rose in January for the first time since August and by much more than expected, according to official data that suggested consumers were happy to spend despite a weak outlook for the economy. The Week Ahead Ukraine prepares to mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion while voters in Germany pick a new government, and investor faith in AI poster-child Nvidia gets a reality check. Trump will almost definitely make headlines next week with more threats of tariffs, the question is whether traders will be listening. Here's a look at the week ahead in markets. Spain's booming economy brings cold comfort for some   A protest to prevent the eviction of a building called Casa Orsola, which has become a symbol of Barcelona's housing crisis. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo Spain's economy is growing at four times the euro zone average, driven by migration and tourism. But anger is building over a toxic mix of housing shortages, high consumer prices and sluggish wage growth. Read more Pictures of the Week A boat carries 'Pantegana', the big rat, on the Grand Canal during the Venice Carnival. REUTERS/Claudia Greco See a selection of our top photography from around the world. View the gallery Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. Terms & Conditions and Privacy Statement © 2025 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036